Soap-holding device.



M. W. HENDRIGH. SOAP HOLDING DEV-ICE.

urmonmn F'ILED MAY 22,1909.

991,848. Patented May 9,1911.

MAX WILLIAM HENDRICH, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

SOAP-HOLDING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 22, 1909. Serial No. 497,705.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAX WILLIAM HEN- DRICH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Vashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Soap- Holding Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in holding devices for soap or other cleansing material but more particularly for a cake of toilet soap used in bathing.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a soap dish or receptacle which will float on water so that a person bat-hing either in a bat-h tub or in open water, will be able to keep a cake of soap within convenient reach without wasting the soap or losing the same.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a floating soap dish which will be simple and practical and which may be used out of the water, as well as in or upon it; to provide an article of this character which will maintain its equilibrium at all times and support the soap at a predetermined elevation above the level of the water; and to provide an article of this character which will have a drained bottom or support for the cake of soap, such bottom being so shaped as to cause the soap to slide to the center of the device and thereby assist in preserving its floating equilibrium.

With the above and other objects in View, as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty and in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of my invention; and Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the same.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar letters refer to similar parts in both views, A. denotes a floating body having means at its top for supporting a cake of soap or other cleansing material in a plane above the level of the water indicated by the line B, B. Said body may be constructed of any material and in any shape; and it may be made buoyant by any suitable means, but I preferably accomplish this by making it hollow to provide an air-tight compartment C. In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the upper portion of the body is made substantially circular in shape while its bottom portion is of inverted bell-shape, as illustrated. I do not limit myself to such shape, but prefer it because it will tend to maintain the device in upright position when floating. However, to more effectively preserve the floating equilibrium of the body, I preferably provide a suitable ballast. l/Vhen the body is shaped as shown, this ballast may be in the form of a-weight D located at the center of the bottom of the body, but such ballast may be of other form and construction and otherwise arranged.

WVhile any suitable means may be provided at the top of the floating body for supporting the cake of soap so that it may be readily picked up and replaced in the device, I preferably make this part, which forms the dish or receptacle proper, with a bottom or support E of concave shape hav ing its lowest point at its center and also having drain channels leading from its center to one or more drain openings formed in the side wall or rim of the device F. By making the bottom concaved the cake of soap, indicated at G in Fig. 1, will slide by gravity to the center or vertical axis of the device and thereby assist in preserving the floating equilibrium. By providing the drain openings in the plane of the lowest point in the bottom, all water which may be splashed into the dish will run out and not remain in contact with the soap to dissolve it and hence cause waste. The bottom E is preferably surrounded by a soap retaining rim H which is here shown as the upper edge of the sidewall of the body, said bottom E being arranged within said wall and forming the top of the air-tight compartment or chamber C.

If desired the bottom of the device may be so constructed that it may be used on a flat surface outside of the water. This result is preferably attained, when the bottom is curved or rounded, by providing three or more supporting legs I. These legs, and also the other parts of the device, may be made as ornamental as desired.

J denotes an opening which may be formed in the rim H to receive a nail, hook or the like whereby the device may be hung upon a wall or other support.

The use of the invention will be understood from the above description and among its many advantages, the following may be mentioned. It enables a bather to have a Patented May 9, 1911.

cake of soap beside him and within convenient reach, Without fear of losing or wasting it. When used in a bath tub, it obviates the need of disfiguring soap brackets which are usually not within convenient reach and it prevents the Waste of soap which would occur if the latter is placed in the water.

'Its use in a tub also obviates the necessity of reaching about in the bottom of the tub for a cake of soap which does not float, and when used in open water it prevents the loss of such soap.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it understood that I do not limit myself to the same and that- I reserve the right to make all variations and modifications within the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

l. A floating soap -dish comprising a buoyant body, a drained soap holder at the top of the body above the water line, and a ballast at the bottom of the body for preserving the floating equilibrium of the device.

2. A floating soap holder comprising a body provided With an air-tight cOmpart ment to render it buoyant, and a drained support at the top of the body for holding soap above the water line.

3. A floating soap holder comprising a body provided with an air-tight compartment to render 1t buoyant, means at the top of the body for supporting soap, and a ballast at the bottom of the body for preserving the floating equilibrium of the device.

1-. A. floating soap holder comprising a body provided with an air-tight compartment to render it buoyant means at the top 40 of the body for supporting soap, and means upon the body whereby it may rest in an upright position upon a fiat surface.

A floating soap holder comprising a hollow floating body having its upper portion of substantially circular shape and its lower portion of inverted bell-shape, a balllast at the center of the bottom of the body, supporting legs upon the bottom of the body, a concaved soap support at the top of MAX WILLIAM HENDRICH.

Nitnesses:

SAMUEL MURRAY, FRANK A. RAPP.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the fiommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

